The infrastructural school education/Carlos Pueblo

The infrastructural school education/Carlos Pueblo

The college education is an infrastructure for a person to be survival

in the modern day. I believe that we need to have such knowledge

level in order to make a sense of our vision of the future. For instance,

I insist to save after my cash balance and invest which takes some common

sense; therefore, I have avoided any of the money issue in my life. We also

insist that our two children finish college in order to understand and accept

our saving and investing habits and they agree. They also live in the money

stress free life from the beginning.

It all started from my father. After his elementary education during Japanese

Era in Taiwan, he had had additional 5 years occupational school and landed

a factory job until his retirement. He provided me, as well as all his children,

to have a college education. I also believe that college education is essential

to compete in the current American society. There is no reason why an educated

person who is not interested to make it in the society. First, most of the employers

likes to hire educated employees because they are ready to be trained for their

companies to use. With a job and income, the rest is easier to manage, i.e. saving,

investment, and tax strategy, etc. We must simplify our financial needs in an

easy understanding ways.

I believe that the Federal Government encourages our working citizen to save at

the young age, i.e. 401K, IRA, and some other pension plans to shelter some annual

income; therefore, the Government becomes a share holder of our pension funds.

We have to pay back its portion when we withdraw the pension through annual

income tax. It is fair and in good faith. If the withdraw amount is not exceed the

individual annual deduction, it’s tax free.

We must take advantage of the free 12 years school education in the country and

furthermore, some partial free college education like hope scholarship and life time

learning scholarship to complete college education. It is no use to waste time at

schools until it is too late to make it up and regret it. I see all trouble refugee in the

world due to wars and some kinds of failed nations as a result. The U.S. is the most

stable nation in the world and I don’t understand why there are still people

struggling.

學校教育機會/莊峻華

學校教育機會/莊峻華

剛剛注意到，美國貧民困境問題之討論，很多人冒險生命，都

想奔向美國，不想美國居然仍有如此多貧民，而且貧民不分男

女老幼，不分人種膚色，我看到報導，立即想到學校教育，和

節約儲蓄，節約儲蓄，已經開始引人注意，其中之投資部分知

識，則需來自學校之基礎教育，非常重要，奠立基礎後，可以

繼續接受新知識，應付這世界之千變萬化。

我之大學主修化學，從事保險零售服務，很迅速加上基金業務

，了解證券投資，加上基本報稅經驗，我一直有節稅知識，年

初就可以估計一年稅務和儲蓄目標，一直都有儲蓄，以防萬一

。我們堅持子女，必需完成學士學位，真是無論如何。兩位成

年子女，都養成節約儲蓄習慣，都早已累積一筆大資本，光是

投資股息，已超過薪水一半以上。

因為他們有大學基本教育，能聽進忠言，加上社會工作經驗，

把節約儲蓄當作一回事，其實，美國聯邦政府，也鼓勵國民儲

蓄，只有商人，和無知財經作家，鼓勵過度消費，讓收支不平

衡，就是日後之困難所在。

要會計算，要能加減乘除，然後認本份，努力工作，保持工作

，不分貴賤工作，最好能有健康保險福利，時間一長，効果立

見，社會福利，無法使貧民翻身，美國有世界最佳之生活環境

，家長要把握機會，教誨幼年子女，在學校守規矩，不要找老

師麻煩，養成與人相處好習慣，完成基本學校教育，始能立足

社會。

Hunduras caravan/Carlos Pueblo

Hunduras caravan/Carlos Pueblo

Hunduras caravan becomes an urgent issue affecting the U.S. politics lately

because that the U.S. Government is 25% shutdown now due to the flooded

immigrants from Hunduras, Guatemula, and El Salvador that worries Trump.

The Congress will not give him the money to build a small portion of the wall

along Mexican border, 5.6 billion fund can’t go very far as we know of the U.S.

currency nowadays. How do we deter such worry of the U.S. society?

Basically, all three Central American countries are fail nations for hundreds of

years and people can’t be survived at their homeland especially women as I

watch You Tube documentary; therefore, they move. They move on every

direction which I find in Europe. Politicians in Europe Union manage a different

way, they accept it and attempt to deal with it for the refugee of the Middle

East. The thinking of British exit voters are identical to Trump wall to block it

with seas around the isles. EU tells the U.K. that there is a cost to pay. Democrats

in U.S. tell Trump the cost of wall that we don’t want to pay.

Therefore, we take the traditional methods to deal with the issue, first with aid

to help these three nations to get on their feet and second to strengthen our

border security without such costly wall like repair the existence border fence

and increase border patrol and safety measure, etc. Stop the U.S. weapon flow

out to Mexico and drug flow to the U.S. We have done that for generation.

Be careful with the trade war with China. China has a sign of hard landing of

its economic condition. We can see that it affects the U.S. stock market lately.

If China collapsed, we are going to see the flooded Chinese refugee to the U.S.,

Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, and Europe, etc. It’s much bigger volume the

Hunduras Caravan with less than 50,000 refugee on Mexican border. Do not

distract American attention from his own legal issues with American laws.

   

Saturday tennis/Carlos Pueblo

Saturday tennis/Carlos Pueblo

After our tennis team was dismantled, I was concerned with no Saturday

tennis any longer till the e-mail came in from another team captain. He

needs players to fill up three teams for his club, B1, B2, and B3, to play

at the West Houston Men’s League. My old teammate Roger and I gladly

join them to get Saturday tennis and we manage to continue our own

tennis meet on Tuesday night at our courts. Time goes by quickly and it

has been more than a year after our courts got flooded during Hurricane

Harvey.

There are 5 lines double for B1 and B3 league playing on the same Saturday

that means 20 players for the captain to worry about while B2 has 6 lines

with 12 players on an alternative weekend. B2 team usually is combined with

his B1 and B3 players; therefore, his club players get to play every Saturday.

He is a retired geologist and also serves as B1 league commissioner. Jim and

my old captain Bill are more like each other found of tennis. I shall receive

my assignment on Friday for the time and place to play on the next day and

report to him our match thereafter.

All match for three levels is a regular 11 games match with add and ahead

of two games to win, tie breaker at 11 and 7 points to win and two points

ahead required. It has been a traditional activity for Americans during the

weekend while ladies league play during the weekdays.

I love to play tennis. I have joined the league ever since 1996. I began my

Interest in tennis when I was at junior high school playing rubber balls

Japanese tennis at our sugar plant subdivision and also playing the school

team for a semester. Due to expansive cost of regular tennis, Japanese

have developed the rubber balls tennis with a lighter racket. Before my

time to immigrate to the U.S., Rubber balls were still popular in several

areas with Japanese relation, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Hawaii.

We use slice a lot while playing Japanese tennis; therefore, I have built

that habit ever since. I would credit to that slice habit to avoid tennis

elbow of any kinds.

I no longer have the overhead power, instead I would carefully tap the

ball back and volley softly and wait for inexperience opponents to make

an unforced error for me to make a point. It is very hard work to win a

match and I like it very much because of that I make a lot of exercises.

I believe that it is more exercises than 2.2 miles walk in the morning.  

週六網球局/莊峻華

週六網球局/莊峻華

年初，正為週六網球局煩腦，史丹那隊長遷居，加上去年水災，

新隊長范波昂波及，球隊瓦解，退出西區乙級聯盟，我們剩下兩

三位，老弱殘兵，倖巧稍西社區隊長，正好退休，專營該區三支

男網隊伍，於是我們兩人，為其收編，効命於乙中和乙下兩隊，

乙上隊和乙下隊賽同一週，乙中賽隔一週，所以多人春秋兩季，

都有週六球局，這是美國男士生活之一型，乙上隊和乙下隊，各

需五組十人出戰，乙中隊是六組十二人，有時後確實人手短缺。

我覺得一次秋局之運動量，稍大於清晨散步，兩者都是我老年之

固定活動。我少年時代，有過打網球經驗，一直未曾放棄，現在

之球技根基，就是當年培養所成，我的接球反擊，沒有硬網之兩

式全面揮打，而是切球，許多台灣來之老者，均有此毛病，但也

因此，不曾折傷手背，球賽局攻擊力不強，僅來對手本身失誤，

把撃來球，像牆壁般彈送回去，所以常有吊高球，常不過前關。

休市社區，非常有趣，有網球隊者，都有維護甚佳之網球場，一

般都是社區之休憩中心，有游泳池設備，有兩隊甚至是高爾夫球

場俱樂部，我甚喜如此環境，目前這位隊長吉姆語我，有一隊一

位高手，年高九十四，仍舊稱霸乙下隊，給我甚大鼓勵，我希望

能打網球到八十，當然要先活到當年。

網球局若實力相當，則常高潮迭起，連旁邊球賽者，均得分享，

網球運動溫和，若隨力不從心，放棄追球，避免跌倒受傷，應該

是非常安全。我年輕時，鍛鍊過迎擊過頭高飛球，就是後退幾步

，然後微躍舉拍罩下，現在已經失去此習慣，改成安全截回而已

，若是遇見善此高擊飛球者，我只有挨打之分也，所幸我的對手

，泰半與我相類似球技。

聯盟球季後，吉姆隊長，也安排週六球局，我們兩位社區外者，

被安排在十點次輪，也無妨，蓋我可以先清晨散步訪友，暖身些

許，再赴球局，週六也甚忙碌矣。

Amazing international politic/Carlos Pueblo

Amazing international politic/Carlos Pueblo

Before the end of 2018, I can’t ignore the subject of the amazing

international politics, first the U.S., followed by Taiwan, China, and

Japan. Four of news makers are among my four interested nations,

Trump, Ko, Xi, and Abe.

Trump is cornered by all of his miscounts throughout these years.

25% of the U.S. government is shutdown i.e. bank can’t fund a

home mortgage if it is required a flood insurance due to the shutdown

of FEMA, the federal flood insurance program. It is very inconvenient

for a new home buyer. The check and balance of the U.S. political

system is working well and there is no way Trump and masses his

resources to defend himself and manages the huge federal government

as well as the international affairs. He is not that smart and he can’t

handle it by himself as he has claimed all the times.

Most of my international readers may not be aware of the mayor of

Taipei, the Capital of Taiwan. He is re-elected for the second term.

Four years ago, he was under a threat of suspension of his medical

license from KMT regime, the Chinese Nationalist, for his support of

opposition. He was successfully elected as the Mayor of Taipei and

all his accusation were disappear without any of the explanation.

He works hard and starts his day at 7:30 am sharp at his mayoral

meeting room and ends his day after 10 pm. On Saturday, he goes

out to the field to visit his projects. He is also a good writer and

philosopher with many popular hit books on market. Taiwanese

voters can’t wait for another six years to get on the National

Presidency.

Chairman Xi of China likes to be at Chairman Mao’s position; however,

he is getting in years and he can’t do very much now. He is facing the

trade war with Trump. His hands are full. He is facing the hard landing

of Chinese Economy and the collapse is urgently needed to avoid.

I like to see Japan is coming along well in her self-defense force parade.

F-35B can fly up and down on the deck of Izumo. Mitsushibi can build

most of the heavy weapons for Japanese self defense forces.

精彩之國際政治/莊峻華

精彩之國際政治/莊峻華

忙於寫遊記，疏忽精彩之國際政治，就此補上。先說美國，台灣

其次，中國第三。

美國現在政府，有四分之一是關閉，因為川普蓋墨西哥圍牆之威

脅，民主黨不為所逼迫，這是三權分立之功能，我剛收到水險服

務公司來信，中段接受新客戶，因為聯邦緊級災害局關閉之故，

國民無法購屋，因無水險，銀行不能放款。川普已經窘況畢露，

不知如何下台，助紂為虐者，越來越少，無法對抗舉國異議，

美國司法，已逐步逼近，尼克森之下台模式甚難，因副總統也有

案在身，美國不會亂，只會更加精彩，好戲可看。

台灣剛選畢地方選舉，國民黨大勝，原因是台灣選民，不滿民進

黨，民進黨沒有國民黨之70年機會，殊甚可惜，民黨主力，應

該投靠柯文哲市長，台灣只有他，頭腦好，有學識，工作努力，

品德好，又不貪財好色，連中國之習主席都看重，台灣選民等不

及，拱他選2020年，台灣總統，他會按部就班，把台灣國政，經

濟，和文化等，更進一步。

中國更有趣，席主席不知累否？中國國政如麻，又要一帶一路，又

要搶東中國海，又要搶南中國海，又要搶中國台灣，又要應付美國

川普之關稅，又要面對中國經濟之硬著路，還好不曾聽聞有女朋友

，老人如我矣，能做些甚麼？康熙乾隆，七十歲後，尚能生子？中

國應由年輕之中國人才來統治，不要夢想台灣。

順便提一下日本，真是要得，出雲號可以讓F-35B戰機起飛降落，而

且是三菱製造，每年之閱兵好看，而且展示自衛戰力，台灣國軍要學

日本自衛隊，去除國民黨軍之舊包袱。

Learning Japanese/Carlos Pueblo

Learning Japanese/Carlos Pueblo

Before my cruise trip in late October, 2018, I enrolled to a beginner

Japanese class at a Precinct community center. I have been very

comfortable with Nagamoto Sensei’s teaching even though I have

missed two of the classes due to the cruise. I have had one eight

weeks session more than 10 years before and since than I have

attempted to a self-study route to tackle with my desire of learning

Japanese. Sensei comforts me that if I have stayed in Japan for three

months, I would be able to converse with the locals in Japanese.

I think of this matter with a conclusion based on my foreign language

learning, Mandarin Chine as well as English, that what I miss is the

recital process. I have applied the classical Chinese recital habit in

schools to English when taken English classes at a younger age. I do

no longer apply such procedure when I take Japanese and Spanish.

They are a leisure learning without the examination pressure; therefore,

the progress is limited. Sensei makes up to start with most basic exchange

of conversation by making a simple sentence.

Japanese language is very interesting. I just learn that my son Arthur can

say some Japanese because he watches Japanese shows and plays Japanese

computer games. I have to rely on English translation for Japanese songs,

poems, and classical movies, etc. in order to apprehend their beauty. When

I visit Japan more than three months actually, I can only get by mostly by

speaking English and some help from Kanji. It is very unfortunate.

I don’t try to make an excuse for my slowly progress in learning Japanese.

I can solve the Kanji issue because I am familiar with this part of Japanese

language. Japanese has verbs conjugation similar to the European languages

and very complicate patterns of sentences, i.e. plain, polite, and respectful.

I have to take it for granted that infinite form, the dictionary form, should be

accepted even violate the conjugation form in all Latin derivatives. It is also

appear in written forms. It is amazing.

I shall watch more Japanese movies, TV shows, and more books in order to

make a break through. Our class is continue for another session and I am

working on it.

日文課/莊峻華

日文課/莊峻華

哈理斯郡，第三行政中心活動中心，開設日文課，由仲本教授開

課，峻嚴幫我報名，課後順便與他打乒乓球，我自修日文，進度

牛步，十餘年來，無甚進展，旅行日本，還是需要英語幫忙，十

分慚愧，希望此課，帶來突破。他認為學習日文，簡易著手，開

始於基本造句，應用於日常對話。

造句之後，就是作文，我學習漢文和英文，最大之突破，就是作

文，學生時代，漢文課一直作文到大學一年級，英語作文，一直

到十七年前，學校老師檢定考試，幾年前，船上愛女建議，部落

格增加英文版，從此講英文，比較自然，無需依賴大腦漢文翻議

，作文就是造句之總合，許多文法和邏輯，我的目標是，開始我

的遊記，增添簡易之日文和西班牙文版。

我看許多日語節目，但都需要英文字幕，日語對話快速，漏上一

單字，立即不會其意，最近溫習日語教科書，講到敬語，日人會

話，對像用辭有異，引用許多敬語，例如，一般普通動詞，字點

型，出現在一般句型結尾，日文許可，無需動詞變化，成為禮貌

句型，如在拉丁語系統，需要規矩之動詞變化，日文文字出版，

採用字典型動詞，就是英語中之不定詞，當作句型中之主動詞，

難怪先生認為定居日本三個月，可見大進步。

課中隨時互相提問回答，句型由先生，事先分析解釋，然後對話

，我們同學中，有四位是有日文課經驗，深喜如此鍛鍊，這八週

一期之效果甚佳，先生已經繼續延長下一期，每日，我都溫習日

文教科書片刻，幫助入眠。

Dear Roma12/27/2018/Carlos Pueblo

Dear Roma12/27/2018/Carlos Pueblo

Thank you for sending me a response of my Tsunami concern in

your country. Can you tell me again the name of your hometown?

I’ll find it on my Rand McNally book. I remember that is in Sumatra

And the city must be away from the frequency of hurricane and

Tsunami threat.

Michelle was home for Christmas and gone yesterday. It is a very

quick 2018 and in just a few days we’ll say a happy new year of 2019.

I am monitoring the last minute deal for your ship and I think that I

may have the opportunity to get on board in February or I’ll keep on

working when your ship is relocated to Manhattan next fall. I’ll return

to the U.K. in late April for a month.

I am so glad to know that you’re in house looking schedule now. As a

matter of fact, I recently make the same recommendation to my

brother-in-law to encourage his son to purchase their house at Staten

Island, NYC. He thinks that is a fantastic idea for all the reasons such as

saving, investment, and tax purpose, etc.

I am helping Arthur to have his right eye Cataract surgery done. He will

have the eye measured on 01/09/19 and the surgery date set thereafter.

I shall have my short term weekly schedule set for next year, two tennis

exercises, one Japanese class and a ping pong practice, regular morning

walk, and a conflict Saturday beginner’s Spanish class, etc.

Please tell me about your trips to Singapore and Bangkok and when is

your return day to Dawn. Happy New Year.

給愛女羅瑪/莊峻華

給愛女羅瑪/莊峻華

真高興這次大海嘯，不曾波及到你，誠然印尼國土遼闊，蘇門

達臘，也有印度洋和太平洋兩岸，我猜府上位於太平洋，中害

地區在另岸印度洋，謝謝你的回信。我也跟著基督徒，慶祝聖

誕節，當然，我每天都是如過聖誕節一般。

琳兒從奧斯汀回家，她剛從澳洲雪梨回來，說是只因達聯美航

空之重要客戶地位而行，我跟她要了一台舊相機，她剛新購一

更新穎相機和三角架，舊相機和舊三角架，都將是我的今年禮

物。

幾日前，我和紐約之連襟通過電話，也建議他，鼓勵其子，購

買住屋，我更詳細解釋美國稅法之優待，他也同意，今晚餐桌

上，提起此事，僅琳兒會意微笑，投資和儲蓄，都是有意義之

人生。

很羨慕你的星加波和曼谷行，這是兩大城市，我尚未經過之處

，珠寶號經過星洲，可以享受許多精緻美食，和熱代水果。每

日，郵輪公司，都寄來廣告，明年一月前，僅一兩艘船有些特

價，而且我也有任務，需要照顧元兒白內障手術。二月和三月

，我有機會再上船，黎明號優先，我有一張聯美現金券一百七

十元，五張兩百五十元預購船票等可使用。明年四月底，我已

購來回機票，英國行一個月。

我很喜歡紐約行，明年秋天，黎明號將駐紐約，我必設法上船

，當然需要安排紐約居停。

Listen to Kayrie’s singing/Carlos Pueblo

Listen to Kayrie’s singing/Carlos Pueblo

Kayrie, my daughter from Barbados, was back on the second round

of my cruises. We found each other on Decks 7 ½ and 8 and she came

to the O’Sheehan’s to meet us at the midway. Raquel said that she

lost some weight. I always sit on my high chair next to the restaurant

hostess to listen to her singing every night. She says that she still is

working on my requested song, Midnight train to Georgia 1973 by

Gladys Knight. I learned it from another band couple from Barbados,

Rose the Ice, from Jewel in 2011 till Jade in 2016. Rose is back to Jewel

in Asian Route.

I did visit their hometown Bridgetown, Barbados in late 2017 and had had

a good memory. It used to be a colony of the U.K. and English spoken.

There are many good singers from Barbados. I have had another daughter,

Danielle who is now back to school. She used to sing at the Bliss Lounge.

Kayrie and her duo partner usually sing hit songs of the past. They are slow

and lovely and make many dancing on the floors, Deck 7 & 8. Some ladies

passengers can sing along with her. Several waitress daughters of mine

would walk toward me and sing with her. Filipinos girls recite pop songs

freely that impresses me very much. I check Google the English properly

described her stage performance as ecstasy, likes to reach forgetting

herself singing.

She was concerned of her size of audience. I told her that was due to a

low turnout of passengers. I thought that I had a good last minute deal

actually, there was even a better deal for the locals to have without any

consideration of airfare and yet the ship was not full. I am so glad to meet

so many hard working youngsters on board that makes me feel so meaningful

of my life.

懷念愛女凱莉夜唱/莊峻華

懷念愛女凱莉夜唱/莊峻華

郵輪旅行返家，已有一月，每日勤寫遊記，終於輪到凱莉，她是

來自東加勒比海，巴貝多島之愛女，第二輪始上船，她的舞台在

七層大廳，晚上八時，演唱到十時，首夜，她立刻眼瞄，掃到坐

在八層奧西罕高凳之我，上船前，我通知她，和另位巴貝多愛女

，丹妮爾莉，兩人都有回信，丹曰不再演唱，已經返校讀書。凱

莉和她男伴，仍在船上駐唱，他們都唱熱門舒情老歌，仍然憶得

我點唱之老歌，午夜到喬治亞列車，1973年格萊特奈之熱唱，她

告訴我這位引起我注意此曲之羅斯，已經在巴貝多養喉嚨，我也

懷念那位唱遊遊鋼琴手史密斯，他也談唱此首，連奧巴瑪總統白

宮晚宴，也請格萊特奈演唱此歌，歌詞是簡潔深意之白話詩。

她一開唱，就有許多飲酒女乘客，在大廳酒吧，奧西罕兩端欄杆

座起舞，都是熱情婦女，連我們家愛女，金格兒，也從遠端走來

面對傾訴，非唱有趣，餐廳許多位菲律賓女侍，都喜愛熱唱，歌

辭倒背如流，郵輪甚至提拔一位資深職員，仿蒂娜特娜演唱，那

就是露斯，將有專文介紹。

一夜，凱莉憂慮聽眾數目，我安慰她，這是一未滿座之船，前兩

週，人數顯然超多，這次為郵輪調位，從波士頓，調到波多黎哥

珊璜市，影響遊客方便，像我們這類寒酸旅客，都需要逗留珊璜

市四夜，妥協高昂機票價，就在半塲休息，她已是香汗滿頰，演

唱者真是賣力，和金格兒哼唱有異。

每次書寫回憶，我描述到她演唱時，唱到忘我之境界，她說她喜

歡我之描述，忘我是中文，就是非常投入，奧西罕餐廳此時，不

甚忙碌，大廳舞台懸掛在七層半，有三層聽眾，七層大廳酒吧和

大廳櫃台珠寶店，八層奧西罕餐廳，還有八層半欄杆密廳，有人

在此看書飲酒聊天，奧西罕酒吧侍者，管轄到此。